Bob-sled



momodel') J. P. KRAMER.

- BOB SLED.

No. 367,716. Patented Aug. 2, 1887.

I j zeziiwfln l WITNESSES INVHNTOR UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH P. KRAMER, OF VEST BRANCH, ,MICHIGAN.

- BOB-SLED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,716, dated August2, 1887.

Application filed November 23, 1886. Serial No. M9337. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH P. KRAMER, of V7 est Branch, in the county ofOgemaw and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Bob-Sleds, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that form of sleds known as bobsleds, and it hasfor its object to render the sled less subject todamaging strains, dueto irregularities of the road, and to permit it to rile easier and pullwith a lighter draft.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view, and Fig. 2 a verticalsection through the rocking connections of the runner.

A A are the runners, which are of the usual shape and are provided withthe usual tongueand-d raft connections in front.

13 is the cross beam forming the bench.

C D E are the rocking connections between the runners and the bench. Oisin the nature of astout hollow metal standard flanged at its upper endand securely bolted to the bottom of the cross-beam, and having at itslower end a curved rocking surface, a, that rests upon the top of therunner upon a metal face-plate attached to said top of the runner. Thelower rocking surface of the standards are provided with flanges b b ontheir sides, which extend down upon each side of the runner and hold thestandards on the runners against displacement. These standards are madehollow, with a tapered hole, which is largest at the bottom. Throughthis hole there extends the vertical bar D, whose lower end is headedand firmly seated in the runner and whose upper end runs through to thetop of the bench. This bar strengthens the connection and limits therocle ing of the standard. On the runner E are the rave-braces, whichare of flat metal, extending from the runner in front of the bench up toand over the bench and down to the runner behind the bench, beingscrewed or bolted to the runner at its opposite ends. These braces havea slot in the middle where they cross the benches, in which slot isreceived the upper end of the vertical bars D. These braces havesufficient spring or elasticity to permit the standards to rock; but anyexcessive strain on these braces is prevented by the vertical bars D.

With this construction it will be seen that there is a slight rockingmovement between the runners and the bench, which allows the runners tochange position slightly in rising over obstructions in the road withoutimparting a jerk or jolt to the superstructure. This not only makes thesled move more smoothly,

but it avoids damaging strains, and by avoiding the canting of the loadit also makes the draft easier.

I am aware that it is not new to make the standard 0 to rock on therunners, and I do not claim this alone; but when these standards aremade with a tapered hole in them and are combined with a bar, D, rigidlyfixed to the runner, it will be seen that the side of bar D is struck bythe side of the tapered hole in the standard, and this bar D acts as astop to limit the rocking of the standard, and thus avoids damagingstrain on the-rave braces E.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is Thecombination of the runners, the hollow rocking standards 0, having theirinner bearing surfaces arranged on a taper largest at the bottom, thebars D, fixed rigidly to the runners and extending through saidstandards, and the rave-braces E, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

JOSEPH P. KRAMER.

Witnesses:

A. G. llIGOLELLAN, NELSON SHARPE.

